Chelsea release Michael Olise's younger brother as 11-year spell with Blues ends

Chelsea have confirmed the departure of 20-year-old defender Richard Olise, bringing an 11-year spell at Stamford Bridge to an end. While his older brother Michael continues to shine for Bayern Munich and the France national team, Richard is now searching for a new club.

The exit forms part of a wider academy restructuring and arrives without a senior competitive appearance for the Blues. Olise joined the Cobham academy as a nine-year-old and progressed through the youth ranks amid high expectations. His closest taste of first-team action came in 2024-25 when he was named on the bench for a UEFA Conference League match but remained an unused substitute, meaning he leaves Chelsea without registering an official minute for the senior side.

The club’s retained-and-released list also included Brodi Hughes, Sam Rak-Sakyi and Jimi Tauriainen.

chelsea, richard olise, michael olise, stamford bridge, bayern munich, france, cobham academy, academy restructuring, retained list, conference league